6 FeCl3 + 16 HNO3 → 6 Fe(NO3)2 + 4 NO + 9 Cl2 + 8 H2O
This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:
18 Cl-I - 18 e- → 18 Cl0 (oxidation)
4 NV + 12 e- → 4 NII (reduction)
6 FeIII + 6 e- → 6 FeII (reduction)
FeCl3 is a reducing agent, HNO3 is an oxidizing agent, FeCl3 is an oxidizing agent.
Reactants:
- FeCl3 – Iron(III) chloride , Iron trichloride
- HNO3 – Nitric acid
- Other names: Aqua fortis , Spirit of niter , Eau forte
- Appearance: Colorless, yellow or red fuming liquid ; Colourless-to-yellow liquid with pungent odour ; Colorless, yellow, or red, fuming liquid with an acrid, suffocating odor. [Note: Often used in an aqueous solution. Fuming nitric acid is concentrated nitric acid that contains dissolved nitrogen dioxide.]
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